If people can confirm that it seems to be region based that would certainly provide more information. Seems right now a few people have a gut feeling that that might be the case?
I didn't get any banter in some of the higher leveled regions, but I chalked it up to being the fact that my party ran out of things to say. I'd go for hours without hearing any banter.
I don't know for sure though, I barely got any conversations in Redcliffe either.
Thank you so much, Jeff, for really pushing this thread - I had thought the banter issue had been a design choice at first, and I had been incredibly disappointed how silent the game was. I know party banter isn't an urgent game breaking bug, but I feel that it is a strong narrative breaking bug. Considering the new story structure of DAI in comparison to DAO/DAII (main quest + Haven/Skyhold interaction + exploration/fetch quests), a large portion of the story is delivered via your companions. So much of the companions character development (especially in DAII) was heard through banter, so it leaves DAI feeling hollow in comparison to the last two. I think I'm thirty hours in, and I'm tossing up restarting - I don't really want to spend the next thirty hours in predominantly awkward silence! I'm on PS4 with a physical disc (it's been running beautifully otherwise, I've been really surprised how well it has gone), so I will try the data reinstall as mentioned above.
I've tried everything I can think off re: banter triggers. I've tried keeping the same parties together, I've tried mixing it up a lot as well. I had been concerned that the problem was my unique mountain rock climbing skills (and awkward abseiling thereafter), but after spending hours sticking to paths, that hasn't helped either. I've stood idle for minutes at a time - no dice. Exploring areas of the map I've never been doesn't help, re-treading areas I've already been also doesn't help.
Fallow Mire: x2 (would only fire for Sera/Blackwall) - 3hrs there?
Storm Coast: 0 (have tried multiple party combinations.) 4hrs?
Forbidden Oasis: 0 - 1hr.
Hinterlands: x8? - 16 hrs? Hinterlands is odd, because I have had some banter, but for the amount of time I've spent in the Hinterlands, it's fairly miniscule. (The following mentions are so specific because I was genuinely shocked anytime someone talked!) I've had two Cass/Varric interactions early on, and then Solas/Varric near Solas' early quest. One Cass/Viv whilst I was half-way up a cliff. I think Cole/Blackwall may have triggered on a path near a camp, and a Solas/Blackwall near Redcliffe Village. After getting to Skyhold and finally getting Dorian (nearly 30hrs in), I took him to the Hinterlands and started mucking around in the very top left of the map. To my absolute astonishment, Dorian/Sera started up; then a minute later Dorian/Iron Bull; then about three minutes later Sera/Iron Bull. The banter is so fantastic when it works! It makes the world seem alive. Alas, they then descended into sulky silence and from then on refused to talk again.
Sadly, the lovely Vivienne pretty much refuses to banter with anyone outside Cass (how in character)! I used her for the Storm Coast/The Fallow Mire (good six hours) with Sera/Blackwall, and nothing triggered with them despite all the dialogue she is supposed to have with both. Cole and Bull don't talk much either, whereas Sera, Dorian and Blackwall seem to be the best at triggering banter - Sera obviously in particular. Companions have no problems reacting to the world (ie. discovering an area/item, an anecdote or two, enemy warnings), but won't talk to each other. I'm not remotely knowledgeable in game design, let alone programming, but could it be some sort of priority banter bug - do they companions know they're allowed to speak? Sera can't stop, Vivienne won't start. Obviously, none of them are doing it remotely enough.
The only other glitches I've had have been dialogue wheel related - were you have to press L1 or skip through with square. Dorian got it quite bad in his first convo at Skyhold (lots of mutual prolonged staring), I also don't know if remotely related.
Out of curiosity, how often are people getting musical cue triggers? (I've been assuming the music is trigged by moving into sub-areas within the regions, and isn't randomised?) I feel like 97% of my exploration is spent in silence, with just ambient background noise. (The Fallow Mire I think has had the most music, I'm assuming due to its smaller size?) Skyrim didn't use music all the time, either, but I feel like at least 50% of my time with Skyrim was accompanied by some kind of music. It leaves DAI feeling quite claustrophobic, actually. The phenomenal level design in each region is at least enough to make it bearable, but it still feels quite hollow.
If it helps - Male Qunari Inquisitor, warrior, American voice, imported world state, physical PS4 disc. I also have Flames of the Inquisition, and the bizarre Red Templar weapons. (I'd like to add that I'm really sympathetic to the poor devs, I can't imagine how much of a pain it could end up being to fix the banter issue, if they can fix it at all.) Yikes, this ended up being really long, sorry, guys.
Thanks for the info on what might be things working as intended. It sounds like you haven't been impacted by the glitch if five minutes apart is what you're seeing in the Forbidden Oasis. That's good! But definitely not what we're experiencing.
I deleted and reinstalled the game again on my PS4. It doesn't seem to have helped, as before, and also for 10 minutes most every sound effect was lagging by about a solid minute and the music didn't kick up until just now. Yowza, ha. I dunno if that's just, like, the game reacquainting itself with my file after being reinstalled or something, but it happened when I tried this last night as well. Probably unrelated, but weird.
if it helps,
my companions are: Sera, Cass and Solas in the Oasis
Solas and Cass would repeatedly question Sera on her weirdness and unelfness and Sera would answer them all in jest.
Forbbiden Oasis is my only 2nd major area (after Hinterlands) so tbh, I didn't get much banters as well.
I don't remember any in "In your hear shall burn" quest.
Thank you, maljester, for that thoughtful and in-depth post. 
I'm sure it will help. I've had that L1 problem of yours as well, but haven't really bothered mentioning it anywhere because, like you, I place a great deal of value on the banters -- and for precisely the same reason as you. As for musical cues... hmm. Yeah, it seems to tie into where I am more than anything. But maybe there's something wrong there as well, hard to say. Right now I've left my party (Solas, Sera, Iron Bull) standing in one place with me on the Exalted Plains and there's no music to speak of, but I haven't moved in like 20 minutes. I'm leaving them there testing the waters to see if anyone speaks up.
This is totally what I do with my evenings.
After the repair and new character, the banter frequency does appear to have increased, I heard Cass and Varric chatting for like, the third time in over sixty hours. But again, it may just be coincidence, because it wasn't completely absent in my first run. Another factor is I don't actually know how frequent it is supposed to be, and the early hours of the Hinterlands is rather full of combat and scripted remarks from characters, so it’s difficult to gauge.
I'm gonna jump back in later, but at this point, what I really think would help is if there was some sort of average, when the game is working as intended, how much banter per x amount of minutes when exploring, or something. idk, probably hard to nail down.
I agree that that would help. Thank you for the update! Keep 'em coming as possible. If you suddenly find that all is well, I may be restarting right along with ya.
if it helps,
my companions are: Sera, Cass and Solas in the Oasis
Solas and Cass would repeatedly question Sera on her weirdness and unelfness and Sera would answer them all in jest.
Forbbiden Oasis is my only 2nd major area (after Hinterlands) so tbh, I didn't get much banters as well.
I don't remember any in "In your hear shall burn" quest.
That quest is probably further on from where you are right now.
Great to hear! Did you retain the same save files or did you start an entirely new playthru?
For those of you asking: I did not have to start a new playthrough, the way the Xbox 360 is set up, characters and save files are separate from the game files. So I just deleted the game files, then put the install disc in, and reinstalled. I didn't even delete my deluxe content.
It did take me a bit to figure out which ones were the game files, but once I figured it out it was pretty easy. (They're each around 1.5 GB in size, give or take, the save files are MUCH smaller.)
(Although I did copy some of my save files to my other storage device for insurance purposes before I messed around with stuff.)
Bump the thread with fangirl tears power.
I use mainly Solas(romanced) Cole and Blackwall, 2hr in Exalted Plains and no banter.
Pleas fix this 
Party banter is the heart and soul of companions and character development, missing those were just so painful...
For those of you asking: I did not have to start a new playthrough, the way the Xbox 360 is set up, characters and save files are separate from the game files. So I just deleted the game files, then put the install disc in, and reinstalled. I didn't even delete my deluxe content.
It did take me a bit to figure out which ones were the game files, but once I figured it out it was pretty easy. (They're each around 1.5 GB in size, give or take, the save files are MUCH smaller.)
(Although I did copy some of my save files to my other storage device for insurance purposes before I messed around with stuff.)
Interesting, thanks for the clarification. Unfortunately, that's the same general layout as is found on the PS4 as well, and after two fresh installs, the problem has not subsided for either Milky or myself. But if it's working for you then I'm happy for you!
I've been playing the game for 75 hours, and I've barely heard the companions speak to each other. Thanks for creating this thread, since I thought it was by design!
I get about 1 banter every 5 hours? Probably less? Occasionally one banter will trigger immediately after the other, which always feels like a gift. I know I've explored regions for 5+ hours and have heard nothing. Everyone has triggered conversations at least once; Cassandra, Varric, and Cole seem to be the chattiest.
I don't recall hearing any banters in the Exalted Plains. And I only recall Varric and Vivienne (or Cassandra) ever firing dialogue in the Hinterlands.
It's too late for me to reroll - I'll just finish up this playthrough and hope things improve in round 2.
Interesting, thanks for the clarification. Unfortunately, that's the same general layout as is found on the PS4 as well, and after two fresh installs, the problem has not subsided for either Milky or myself. But if it's working for you then I'm happy for you!
Aww that's too bad :C I wonder if there's a difference between digital installs and installing from a disc??
For me the Storm Coast was definitely one of the most quiet regions actually. I've had most of my banter in the Hinterlands, the Western Approach, the Exalted Plains and Emprise du Lion. I've had a few banters back to back in Crestwood after the story mission there, otherwise all was quiet. Nothing in the Fallow Mire, the Emerald Graves, the Forbidden Oasis, Val Royeaux, the Storm Coast.
Now that I've finished my first playthrough I'll start a new one and see if that fixes the problem.
i hardly get any banter too which is disappointing because the banter i do get is amazing
I have this bug as well ps4. I will start keep tracking of how much banter I have. I didn't get any at val royeux. I also have an issue w no singing/music in the skyhold tavern at times. I have ambient subtitles on it shows the lyrics to the songs but there is no actual sound -music- or singing
Actually, you know, I think I’ve had a couple cases like this. Sometimes the subtitles cut off and stop, too.
BUT there’s never subtitles for party banter that I don’t hear. So it could be a complete red herring.
Aww that's too bad :C I wonder if there's a difference between digital installs and installing from a disc??
If there is one, it isn't reflective here -- I have a physical copy. 
Goodness, every time I turn around new people report in with this bug. I dare say it's widespread.
If there is one, it isn't reflective here -- I have a physical copy.
Goodness, every time I turn around new people report in with this bug. I dare say it's widespread.
I would suspect it's more widespread than we think... We are only catching a slice of the population on these boards, and the hardcore ones at that. I think most people write it off as a design choice. A really shame, actually. A small thing like this has a huge impact. And let's be honest, the average person is not going to play through more than once so it means they will never experience how the game is meant to be.
Indeed. Well put. Sad to say, but I'm probably closer to "the average person" than the absolute BioWare fan I really am when it comes to playing habits, myself, even. The idea of starting over from the beginning any time within the next year or so is really, really daunting to me, but I might do it anyway if it proves necessary because dammit I like this game and want to experience it as it was intended. Just hoping it doesn't come to that.
I'm collecting information from victims of this evil glitch goblin on the Chinese and Japanese gaming forum, apparently some thought the fewer banter was a lousy design chose rather than a bug, which is a shame really.
I'll report more as soon as possible.
I'm collecting information from victims of this evil glitch goblin on the Chinese and Japanese gaming forum, apparently some thought the fewer banter was a lousy design chose rather than a bug, which is a shame really.
I'll report more as soon as possible.
Good work, ma'am.
Yeah, there are a lot of people here who are interpreting the issue in the same fashion. It unfortunately means there are probably many more fans who would speak up about this if they were aware it's a glitch.
I have over 80 hours on my playthrough and never knew the party members could banter outside of specific circumstances of reacting to events. Additionally, I don't have any conversation options with most of my party members so I can't do their sidequests thanks to this bug. Now I can't even get a refund from Origin so I get to be stuck with a broken and lifeless mess of a game.
p.s. Bioware community managers reading this: It is not a region issue or even a "rare" one. It is widespread and can be game breaking. Please fix this!
I have over 80 hours on my playthrough and never knew the party members could banter outside of specific circumstances of reacting to events. Additionally, I don't have any conversation options with most of my party members so I can't do their sidequests thanks to this bug. Now I can't even get a refund from Origin so I get to be stuck with a broken and lifeless mess of a game. Thank you Bioware
That sounds like an extreme version to be sure. 80 hours and not a single instance? A new record. I'm really sorry to hear it hit you that hard. As for the lack of conversation options back at Skyhold... geez, that's rough. It might well be a separate bug outright, though.
You know, I hadn't really given this much thought until I saw someone on Tumblr mention this and now it's got me thinking - Wait a second, this is definitely happening to me too. And now I'm sad. I hope this gets fixed or at least acknowledged, sometimes I can wander for a couple of hours and hear nothing at all banter wise, but sometimes, just sometimes, I'll get 2 party convos within a minute or two of each other and then... nothing. I've noticed mostly Solas and Sera conversing but I haven't heard anything from my current party of Vivienne, Dorian and Solas... which is the banter I've been wanting to hear. I'm playing on the PS4 as well. 
It's really weird. In today's play session, I did about a 4 hour stint. I had maybe 3 banters total, while I explored Emprise and a bit of Crestwood.
I might have this bug (PC).
Sometimes they talk. Largely silence though.
I've played for around 47 hours and I've only had about 10 instances or so of dialogue between them. Is it supposed to be way more frequent than this?
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